The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-03-17

!. to amend constitution so as to allow tn,
state, in cases of public calamity, t
{ grant relief TO purchasers of UnIversit.
4 land and allowing the investment of tn
" University fund in United States, county
or state bonds.
D Senator Fields called up his bill limit
| ing the hiring of cOnvicts to planters
with unfavorable committee report.
, Senator Loan moved to adopt the mi
nority report favorable to the bill.
| Senator Fields spoke in favor of thu
motion and the bill. He said the presence
of the convicts had ruined Robertson
county. He alluded to resolution passed
by the Farmers Alliance adverse
to the bill, and styled thai
lodge as little irresponsible sand jack
alliance lodge. He intimated that the
planters working the convicts were ring
that they had amassel great fortunes
One lived in the blue grass region of
Kentucky, one lived in St. Louis, one had
a palatial residence in Austin, another
was talking OF erecting fac residence in
Austin, while another lived in grand style
at the Driskill, and all had made their for
tunes by convict labor. He asserted that
the convict labor had not increased the
taxable values of the county, saying chat
the plantations in Robertson county, on
which convicts are worked, are assessed
ten per cent. lower now than they were
before convict ever placed a foot on
them. He asserted that all the people of
his county not interested in convict labor
were anxious for the bill to pass.
Senator Burgess made powerful argu-
ment against the bill and favored the
adoption of the unfavorable report. He
referred to the testimony before the com
mittee, showing that the respectable cit
lzen5 of Robertson county and some of
her largest planters, who do not hire CON
victs, did not want the bill and did not
desire the cOuvicts removed. He al
| luded to the "Sand Jack" lodge of the
Farmers Alliance, and stated that from
all he could learn, the members of that al
lance were respectable citizent, and that
the resolution passed by them against
the bill reflected their honest sentiments.
He warned the senate that the passage of
such bill would entail great loss upon
the state. Other counties having con-
victs in their midst had asked for no law,
and the only complaint was heard from a
few people living in Robertson county.
Senator Lane spoke in the interest of
the minority report.
Senator Abercombie spoke in favor of
the adoption of the unfavorable report
as he deemed it inexpedient to make a
change in the prison management, as con-
templated by the bill. He referred to the
complaints of Robertson county, and said
that if the county was to be relieved, why
not relieve all the counties. He lived in
Walker county, where was locat d the
penitentiary and several convict farms,
and no complaint was heard from that
county. He had lived within the sound of
the penitentiary whistle for thirty years,
and he had never been disconnected in
the least. He paid high tribute to the
honesty and ability of Superintendent
Goree, whom he believed to be a most
efficient prison manager, and one whose
opinion was entitled to the highest con
sideration, and he had recommended no
such change as contemplated.
Senator Garrison, chairman of the pen
itentiary committee, explained that the
great opposition to the convicts i'll Rob-
ertson county, came from freedmen in
and around Hearne, and that the re-
spectacle planters did not object to the
presence of convicts.
Senator Lanes motion to adopt the
minority report was lost.
Yeas-Senators Bell, Burney, Calhoun,
| Claiborne, Field, Frank, Lane, Mcdonald,
Macmanus, Woodward. Total, 10.
Nays-Senators Abercrombie, Allen,
Armistead, Burgess, Camp, Davis, Doug
lass of Jefferson county; Douglass, of
Grayson county; Garrison, Houston, Jar
Wis, Knittle, Pope, Stinson, Terrell. To-
tai, To-
Administrators Glasscock, Gregg,
Upshaw, Woods. Total, 4.
The report of the committee killing the
bill was then adopted.
The bill striking out the word "gross"
from the act relative to suits for damage
for injuries resulting in death passed.
The bill permitting second appeal in
habeas corpus cases passed.
The bill to protect fish and oysters on
the coast passed to third reading.
The Greer county bill was made the
special order for this morning, after CALL
The bill extending the time of the
drouth relief committee was called up and
the letter of Col. j. W. Booth, of Wise
cou lty, to the governor calling his atten-
ton to the manner of distribution of the
supplies, was received.
Senator Harrison made an able argu-
ment against the extension of time, and
called attention to the fact that the relief
committee had distributed $1,000 in
Bosque county, a county in which he
knew from personal knowledge had made
as good crops last year as any county in
middle Texas, yet $1,000 Is given
this county, while Coleman and Haskell
counties in the drouth district proper,
had not received half that sum. 1t was
all wrong, and he objected to an extension
of time. He thought the committee
should return, and place the money not
expended back into the treasury, where it
never ought to have been taken from for |
any such purpose.
Senator Calhoun made a strong speech
in favor of extending the time, and drew
a pitiable picture of the real sufferers in
the drouth district, asserting that, in his
county, and in one of the adjoining coun-
ties, not one hundred bushels of native |
corn could be found. He called attention |
to the fact that majority of the settlers
were new corners and not prepared to
take care of themselves.
Senator Stinson made an elaborate ar
gument against the bill, and called atten
ton to the fact that there was much com
plant about the manner of distributing
supplies: that letters from the drouth
district stated that men worth their thou